Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

June 2019: Cask halfpint at The Beehive (JDW), Gatwick Airport. ABV 5.0%. Single hopped with Admiral. Deep golden colour, white head. Moderate malty and earthy aroma. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. The flavour has earthy hops with a decent bitterness.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle conditioned, as St. Austell Hicks Traditional Strong Cornish Ale, from Vinmonopolet Sandnes Kvadrat. ABV is 5.0%. Clear reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, toffee, caramel, roasted nuts, blackcurrants and prunes. Flavour with the same elements, and fairly distinct earthy hops, medium bitter finish.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

May 2012: 500 ml bottle conditioned, new at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5%. Beautiful copper colour, moderate off-white head, nice lacing. Lovely aroma of fruity hops (Styrian Goldings and Cascade), also hints of spruce, caramel and ripe berries. The medium sweet flavour has a nice balance between the malts and hops, notes of caramel, toffee, sweet biscuits and ripe berries. A little more bittering hops in the finish would not hurt, but this is a very enjoyable ale as it is.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Sandnes Kvadrat. ABV is 5.2%. Copper colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Aroma of malts, toffee and caramel. Flavour of malts, toffee, citric and earthy hops, not too sweet, well balanced, satisfying. Would buy again.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

November 2016: Cask half pint at The Market Porter, Borough. Dark copper colour, small off-white head. Moderate malty aroma. Earthy and surprisingly roasty dry flavour, not bad, but not quite my cup of tea.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

April 2015: Cask pint at the Fountain Inn, Gloucester. Reddish brown colour, small off-white head, nice lacing. Nice malty and fruity aroma and flavour, hints of blackcurrants and other dark berries. Low bitterness. Good beer.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle conditioned, from Vaaland, Bryne. ABV is 4.6%. Copper colour, huge head, slightly off-white. Malty and nutty aroma, hints of burnt caramel and brown bread, distinct earthy hops. The flavour is first moderately fruity and nutty, then the earthy hops take over, and dominate throughout. The final bitterness is fairly moderate, though.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

375 ml dark green bottle with silver foil top, capped and corked. ABV is 4.2%. Soon available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Golden brown colour, moderate to low white head. Aroma of malts, cellar, fruit and kandij sugar, hints of oak. The flavour is fruity, moderately acidic and quite sweet, sugary and oaky notes. Faro is maybe not my favourite beer style, but this is a nice "change of pace" beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sample from bottle at HaandBryggeriet Beer Festival, Drammen. Slightly cloudy brownish golden colour, moderate white head. Lovely complex aroma of sour fruits, horseblanket and farmhouse. Sour & sweet flavour, sour fruits, white wine vinegar, some kandij sugar.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting. My first faro. Clear brown colour, caramel and barnyard in the aroma. Flavour is sour and sweet, hints of Norwegian "Flux Soda" soft drink. Hints of dark crab meat(!) too.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

250 ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Beautiful dark ruby colour, very good thick head. Moderate barnyard aroma on a background of red wine vinegar, honey and raisins. Flavour is not nearly as sour as the other two Flemish Sour Ales I’ve had - more sweet than sour, actually. Too sweet for me - elements of syrup, caramel, honey, balsamico vinegar, blackcurrants and blackberries. A craft beer, no doubt - but definitely not a favourite of mine this one.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

75 cl bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Dark brown colour. Aroma of dried fruits, leather and oak. Sweet and moderately malty flavour, hints of woodwork.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 8.5%. Dark red colour, moderate beige head. Aroma of cherries, cherry kernels, marzipan, oak and fruit vinegar. Medium sour flavour with the same elements as the aroma.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle, as Felix Oudenaards Oud Bruin, ABV 6%, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Lovely funky aroma, notes of wet basement with fermenting apples. Sour & sweet flavour, funky and fruity.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beerpal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. "Limited Release No. 2", ABV 6.5%. Hazy brown colour, big to moderate beige head. The aroma has some sourish fruity notes, hints of red wine vinegar, some malts too. Fairly sour flavour, some funky and malty notes.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Vintage 2006, bottled March 2008, BB March 2010. (This beer is also imported to USA by Shelton Brothers.) Cloudy dark reddish brown colour, big tan head. Intense aroma of red wine vinegar and oak. The flavour is VERY sour (too sour), with oaky notes and a sharp and lemony finish. Some hops in the finish, but overall the malts and hops are very subdued - this is really all about acidity and oak. Still an interesting beer, and definitely something out of the ordinary. The alcohol is well hidden. If the average pale lager drinker Joe would sample this beer, he would probably be killed by the shock.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

250 ml bottle, as VanderGhinste Oud Bruin, brewed at Brouwerij Bockor Kortrijk, BB date 06.06.2013, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. Deep brownish red colour, moderate off-white head. Interesting sourish aroma of oak, farmhouse, red wine and red wine vinegar, spicy notes too. Medium sour and fairly sweet flavour, fruity and vinous notes, the hops are hardly noticeable.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6%. Dark reddish brown colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of oak, red wine, lemons, brettanomyces and blueberries. Sour flavour with the same elements as the aroma, also notes of red wine vinegar. Hardly any bitterness.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

375 ml paper-wrapped bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.8%. Dark red colour, moderate off-white to pink head. Distinct aroma of cherries, cherry kernels, almonds and marzipan. Very fruity and sweet flavour, slightly sour, with cherries and marzipan galore. Minimal hops.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

750 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken, shared with my son. ABV is 7%. The colour is more red than brown, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of brettanomyces, red wine and oak, also he expected notes of raspberries, cowberries and sour plums. Sour flavour with the same elements as the aroma.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

375 ml bottle, vintage 2009, from Vinmonopolet Vika, Oslo. ABV is 6.5%. Very murky brown colour with a pinkish hue, moderate off-white head. Strong sourish aroma, notes of red wine vinegar, oak and farmhouse / barnyard. Sour flavour, notes of red wine vinegar, lemons and oak, hints of caramel.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

March 2016: 330 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer (I could swear I had rated this beer before, but apparently not). Dark reddish brown colour, large beige head. The aroma has first a whiff of smoke, then notes of red wine, red wine vinegar, oak and horse stable. Pleasant flavour, malty, fruity and only moderately sour, again notes of red wine, red wine vinegar and oak, hardly any noticeable hops. Still easy drinking, due to the fruitiness. The alcohol is well hidden. Nice one.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Dec. 2011: 375 ml green corked and caged "champagne" bottle, wrapped in red paper, as Liefmans Cuvée Brut, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.0%. Dark red beer, large pinkish-peachy head. Strong and intense aroma of cherries, also notes of almonds and marzipan. The flavour is cherries all the way, medium sweet, not "brut" by any stretch of the mind. At least it is somewhat drier than Liefmans Fruitesse. Just a hint of hops and oak in the finish. Quite good, if you like cherries (and who doesn’t?), and don’t expect a "normal" beer flavour.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

May 2014: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Cloudy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of red wine vinegar, malt vinegar and malts. Moderately sour and vinegary flavour, some sweetness and malts, no sign of hops. Watery body. Not really my thing.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Jan. 2018: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Cloudy brown colour, off-white head. Pleasant vinous aroma, notes of oak, red wine vinegar, raisins, pecan nuts / pecan pie. Vinegary and medium sour flavour, notes of oak and pecan nuts.